International Day of Epidemic Preparedness
December 27 · Level 9 · #420 of 2238
This day is a reminder that epidemics should be prepared for in advance: outbreaks need to be spotted in time, answered quickly and handled through cooperation between countries. It was established by the United Nations.
How it is celebrated: doctors, scientists and public organisations hold talks, round tables and awareness campaigns. Laboratories and health services run outbreak drills, and people are reminded about vaccination and good hygiene habits.
The UN General Assembly proclaimed the day in 2020, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. The idea is simple: it is better to spend time on preparation than to rescue the situation later.